muddy

Everyday

1. Covered in mud, or full of mud. tree →
2. (of water or colours) Not clear; cloudy or dull, as if mixed with mud. tree →
3. (verb) To make something muddy or unclear. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life, children come home with muddy boots after playing outside; take them off at the door. In science, muddy water can be cleaned by filtering, which separates the mud (soil) from water. In safety, muddy paths and fields are slippery. In art, mixing too many colours makes a muddy brown. Phrases: «muddy boots», «muddy puddle», «muddy water», «muddy the waters» (make things confusing).

Examples

• Take off your muddy boots at the door! tree →
• The dog jumped in a muddy puddle. tree →
• After the rain, the football pitch was muddy. tree →
• We filtered the muddy water through sand and paper. tree →
• The muddy path was slippery, so we walked slowly. tree →
• Mixing all the paints made a muddy colour. tree →
• My jeans are muddy from the knees down. tree →
• The river was muddy after the storm. tree →
• The roads are so muddy, after the winter’s rains. tree →

Note

Comparatives: muddier, muddiest. Noun: «mud» (uncountable). Filtered muddy water looks clearer but is still not safe to drink — germs pass through.